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featuring Irish car tours and other package deals to Ireland in December and
January.

Christmas the way it should
be.
Make 2014 your unique Christmas Celebration in Ireland.
Christmas in Ireland is an experience to be cherished. Christmas traditions
have been handed down over generations. As you stroll along the streets you
feel the excitement of Christmas while shopping for traditional Christmas
treats.

7 nights accommodations at your choice of 400 farms, town and country
homes. We give you two books of homes with pictures, names, addresses, phone
numbers and directions. Choose some of each for maximum flexibility. Rooms are
sharing bath at BB's. Please be aware that not all B&B's are open over
Christmas and New Years.

Vouchers are provided for each night of your stay. You call ahead to make
reservations. Stay for any number of nights at any property.

Full hearty Irish breakfast is served each day. This may include home-baked
breads, farm-fresh eggs, cereal, sausage and bacon.

Value-Added Tax (V.A.T.) and service charges.

The lights, the shopping and that certain something in the air combine to
provide a memorable experience. Ireland Christmas Travel. Rate based on
departure date from USA. Other dates are available at varying costs.

RATES including car, accommodations
Rate per person in USD, Sharing a twin room

DEC 23-31

JFK/NEWARK

1616

Child reduction $50. Dates subject to availability. Automatic car, add $179 total
(not per person). Prices based on booking at least 95 days in advance and
making an instant purchase. For later bookings, prices will be higher. For
example, book up to 45 days in advance, add $125 per person to the above
prices. When your trip spans two price periods, higher rates prevail. There are
no flights on Dec. 24/25

Ireland is one of the few places on earth where the meaning of Christmas is
still remembered & the birth of the Christ child is celebrated. Whether you
subscribe to the theory that to have a candle in your window on Christmas Eve
meant that you were welcoming the Holy Family that found no such welcome in
Bethlehem or that the candle in the window signified the home where the
Catholic mass was celebrated, the custom still exists in Ireland today. Either
way, the lights in the windows make a lovely addition to the holiday season.

Christmas is in the air everywhere. Church services play a real part in the
celebration of Christmas here. Another endearing quality of Ireland is the time
that the people take out of their usual calendars to devote to Christmas. There
is limited work activity for most people between Christmas and New Year, and
most businesses remain closed for this period.
The spirit of Christmas is so strong, however, that many hotels close during
the holiday period to allow their staff to spend time with family. On Christmas
day in Ireland, most restaurants will be closed. Christmas day is traditionally
a family day, with virtually all public places and shops closed.

Self-drive Avis standard car with
unlimited mileage and tax for 7 days. Large cars, minibuses and automatics are
available.

7 nights accommodations at your choice of 400 farms, town and country
homes. We give you two books of homes with pictures, names, addresses, phone
numbers and directions. Choose some of each for maximum flexibility. Rooms are
with private bath at BB's. Please be aware that not all B&B's are open over
Christmas and New Years.

Vouchers are provided for each night of your stay. You call ahead to make
reservations. Stay for any number of nights at any property.

Full hearty Irish breakfast is served each day. This may include home-baked
breads, farm-fresh eggs, cereal, sausage and bacon.

After Christmas Treat-One Night B&B at Dromoland Castle. Dec. 28 (not
available over Christmas or New Years)

Rate per person in USD, Sharing a twin room

Dec 23-31

JFK/NEWARK

$1655

Child reduction $75. Dates subject to availability. Automatic car, add $179 total
(not per person). Prices based on booking at least 95 days in advance and
making an instant purchase. For later bookings, prices will be higher. For
example, book up to 45 days in advance, add $125 per person to the above
prices. When your trip spans two price periods, higher rates prevail.

Twelve Days of Christmas Song : Although most people say / sing "four
calling birds", the actually birds are "four colley birds"
(blackbirds).

In Dublin, Christmas day is only the beginning of celebrating with friends that
doesnt end until the Feast of Epiphany on the 6th of January. Christmas
Shopping: Gifts so perfect that they could only come from Ireland. Dublin is a
wonderful city to visit at Christmas. The Christmas lights are turned on in
November and from that point on, the big Christmas shopping season will have
commenced in earnest. Unique gifts are only part of the journey as you enhance
your experience with tours of Europe's most picturesque cities. From shopping
on Grafton Street and Henry Street, to listening to the carol singers and
buskers on Grafton Street, and to the wonderful Christmas windows, Dublin City Center has loads to offer.

In general, the city has a buzz up to Christmas Eve, and much of the social
activity centres around the pubs (as usual!) There are some outdoor activities
on Christmas day, eg. outdoor walks, Christmas day swims for the hardy souls.
Some hotels stay open over Christmas, with a "package" stay and
organized activities. St. Stephen's Day (Boxing day) has pubs open again, but
only a limited number of shops open. There will be plenty of sporting
activities, however, much of it being of a "fun" nature. Restaurants
will be open, except for Christmas Day. Airports, buses and trains do not
operate on Christmas day, and will have a limited service on 26th. Shops will
generally open about 27th December with sales - hectic for shopaholics.

CHRISTMAS AT THE MERRION, DUBLIN

Arrive on Christmas Eve and check into your luxurious room, complete
with tempting seasonal delights. Anticipate Christmas by the crackling log
fires in our lavishly dressed Drawing Rooms, unwind in the sumptuous Tethra Spa
or relax in the warm ambiance of our Dublin cocktail bar, No 23. At 6pm on
Christmas Eve, all our younger guests are invited to meet with Father Christmas
around the magical Christmas tree in The Front Hall, where each child will
receive a Christmas gift, and Mums and Dads can enjoy a glass of Champagne.

Wake up on Christmas Morning to a celebratory breakfast in the comfort
of your own room or in The Cellar Restaurant. Later, enjoy traditional
Christmas Lunch or Dinner in The Cellar Restaurant followed by a glass of
Merrion mulled wine and mince pies in No 23.

For guests who would prefer to extend their celebrations, on St Stephens Day,
December 26th, The Merrion is offering two Top Level Tickets to the renowned
Leopardstown Christmas Race Festival, complete with coach transfers to and from
the hotel. For those who would prefer to stay indoors, guests can opt for a
sumptuous one-hour treatment per person in The Tethra Spa.

Rates per person for 2 nights $887, 3 night stay $1269

Messiah, Handel's glorious oratorio,was first performed in Dublin in 1742,
and the city celebrates with performances every December. The most ethereal is
in the soaring vaults of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

An Irish Toast:May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch
on your door, and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of
Christmas

Some Irish Christmas traditions:
Did you know that the popular Christmas carol, Twelve Days of Christmas, is a
remnant from the time when Catholicism was illegal and the gifts listed in the
song are hidden references to Catholic dogma? It was used as a memory exercise
for those who were secret adherents to Catholicism.

The lighting of candles in Ireland also has a religious significance. Some
people would light candles (or one large candle) to signify symbolic
hospitality for Mary and Joseph. The candle was a way of saying there was room
for Jesus' parents in these homes even if there was none in Bethlehem. Some
people even set extra places at their tables as a preparation for unexpected
visitors.

Christmas DinnerChristmas dinners in
Ireland usually consist of the standard fare; turkey, a ham, stuffing,
cranberry sauce, etc. Among the more traditional Irish elements are spiced beef
(spiced over several days, cooked, and then pressed) which can be served either
hot or cold. The traditional dessert is usually composed of mince pies,
Christmas pudding, and brandy or rum sauce.

Call 1-800-221-2474 9AM - 6PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time or (516) 248-2042 outside USA/Canada
Although we have provided as much information as possible on our website, we are happy to answer your questions directly on the phone. Sometimes, it is just easier to speak to one of us. We are awaiting your call.